Do you love your mobile so much that you can’t live without it, Do you check your mobile before going to sleep? Are you a mobile addict?

While everyone is talking about this great piece of technology called the smartphone mobiles of today – it’s been great to hear about the positive side of the story that the humble mobile which we used to carry around so people could stay or get in touch with us when we were traveling or away from home – has a potential dark side to it…yes, we are all proud of our flashy new mobiles or tablet device but ask yourself a few questions and if you were to answer “yes” to a majority of these then it’s time to think about it…

Answer these questions (truthfully…) and check out if you ARE A MOBILE ADDICT?

IS THIS IT? Is this showtime for Microsoft’s Windows 8?

Amidst the anticipation of the next iPhone 5 to be released shortly, there’s some excitement brewing as Microsoft are ready once again with their re-entry into this market with what is promised of being an amazing experience…(Drum Rolls………) enter – Windows 8.

All we’ve been seeing and hearing from quite some time now is only of Apple, Samsung, Android, iPhone, iPad, Google when it comes to mobiles and device operating systems and not much about Windows. Yes Apple devices are everywhere, Samsung seems to be going places with their devices not only by manufacturing some amazing devices (ie. S3, Galaxy Tab…) but also packing new features into their mobiles and tablets…it’s been a while now that I’ve not seen anyone pull out a different phone other than an iPhone but these days I’m sure you would’ve probably noticed yourself, Samsung devices seems to be making ground.

Samsung range of tablets are moving quite fast too and they don’t cost an “arm and a leg” to try one out, whether it’s the “non-apple” fans or the “android-pro’s” there is no choice currently in the market for any other mobile device or operating system.

Image from: http://www.samsung.com/global/ativ/index.html

Samsung have confirmed that they will be carrying Windows 8 on a few of their devices – that includes Samsung mobiles, tablets and TV’s. Check out the ATIV range (as it’s called by Samsung) which carries the Windows 8 across devices – ATIV S for Mobiles, ATIV Tab (Tablets), ATIV Smart PC and ATIV Smart PC Pro. We couldn’t find much reference to what ATIV actually meant whether it was an acronym for something but seems like it’s VITA spelt reverse…meant life….deep….blah blah…

And NOKIA says…lets hold hands Windows?

NOKIA like Microsoft have a challenge up their sleeves to win back market share and consumer confidence and as users have started to massively adapt to and get accustomed to the Apple and Android eco-system, this will be quite an interesting phase to see if the Nokia & Microsoft Windows 8 combo does it this time around. NOKIA seems to have instilled a lot of faith into their new LUMIA range carrying the Windows 8 Operating System.

NOKIA, once a leader in this space who has seen massive decline in it’s share now confirming that their range of Nokia Lumia range will be carrying the Windows 8 as their operating system.

In the second quarter of 2012, Microsoft’s share of the global smartphone operating system market was a lowly 2.7 per cent, according to tech industry analyst Gartner while Android had 64.1 per cent and Apple 18.8 per cent. (source here).

The Windows 8 experience blog does promise that this version has a lot that has changed, and yes it would not be fair to say that Windows have been so hung up with so many issues in the past over their operating systems but I guess that’s the kind of extensive user base that the windows have too – more ain’t always the merrier when it comes to technology. All brands these days whether it’s manufacturers such as LG, Samsung, Nokia, HTC or the experience providers such as Apple, Google with their Android operating systems, Microsoft Windows are all undergoing a substantial amount of metamorphosis as the internet has evolved to being something we sat behind a desk and used and or late on a mobile device to being the “internet of things” where even our cats and dogs are connected to a network so we can track where they are and what they are doing when you are out and about!

Apple has undergone considerable transformation themselves as I remember not that many years ago, you could not buy anything but from a special “Apple” store specialist and when not much was going in Apple’s favour – they brought about the iPod and then the infamous iPhone followed by the iPad which made history and seems like they’re having a dream run since then. Who had heard of an “app store” a few years ago? Who knew that you wouldn’t need to run down to the DVD store down the road to book in your copy of the latest movies? Maybe the day is not far when there will be robots around the house which will bring you popcorn automatically when you’re watching a movie! Well, Well, lets get back to talking about Windows 8…there is a pre-release Windows 8 version available for those enthusiasts but we couldn’t find a set date for the Windows 8 date in Australia but news items do hint at it being around the corner!

Would you be still willing to give Windows 8 a chance? Have Microsoft got it right this time around? Guess, time will tell but onya’ Windows as they say “You’ve got to be in it to WIN it – All the best!

The JOIN IN APP apps (as it stands now…) is available for Apple iOS, Android and for Blackberry too! The official results apps is available on Android and Apple iOS. When visiting the www.london2012.comofficial website seems like all the images we came across were all mocked up in the Samsung S3 (and they look pretty sharp too!).

Seems like the Apps have tried to pack in a whole heap of features ranging from information, geo location based activities, locating your friends using the maps feature, cultural events and programmes, spectator guides, social media integration, best routes to get to the competitions, create personalised schedule based on your interest or if you’re one of those lucky enough to be visiting any of the events. And seems like there are some cool features too which we were not able to check out (probably a location locked feature as we downloaded the app from Australia) which apparently is the “Augmented Reality” feature and uses the phone’s camera to view overlays of the key venues. Will have to let the boss know to let me fly down to London to test this one!!

MOBILE OPTIMISED WEBSITE

Type in www.london2012.com on your smartphone and it does auto-detect if you are browsing from say a smartphone or your new shining Galaxy S3 to take you to a site that works much better on your mobile – a smartphone mobile website.

The official website also has a mobile optimised version (ie. a PC website that works well on your smartphone) which is always a good user experience. The mobile site is quite a simple version but has a lot of detail for your “info-snacking” maybe on the train ride home, I’d probably recommend the app anyways!

One of the functions on the mobile site also takes you to a shopping section for your “on the go” mobile shopping if you’re looking to buy an official London 2012 Sports Collection Coins or some stamps or just looking for some figurines, will be interesting to see if they do publicise how many people actually purchased using their mobile devices.

These apps are the London 2012: Official Apps for the Olympic and Paralympic Games – By The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited as per their descriptions accessed on the iTunes and Android’s Google Play App Store.

Thanks to mobility bringing about so much change in our lives – we’re never away from any action and there’s only more things to come! So, no matter which part of the world you’re in – there is an opportunity not only to keep track but also take part and enjoy the spirt of the Olympics!

London has a lot happening this year! This one is about Samsung’s Mobile Unpacked 2012 event and an event where Samsung launched the “Samsung Galaxy S3”

As our lives become increasingly complex, people are no longer enthused about new technology for technology’s sake! They desire products that genuinely think and care about them. Products created with humanity at heart! – voice over at the Samsung Mobile Unpacked 2012, London.

Must say, Samsung have been trying quite relentlessly adding in new features and updates to their models of Smartphones – specially talking about the “S” range. Samsung has now announced their next mobile the ‘Samsung Galaxy S3‘ with a lot of new features and some of them seem quite cool I’d say and whether they’re compared to the iPhone or not – they have the first mover advantage this time around (sorry Apple!). Samsung announced the launch is going be across 145 countries across 296 Mobile operators.

Yes, you’d expect that a new mobile is going to have higher specs, better style…stuff like better resolution, a better look than it’s predecessor, a better camera and probably a few tweaks here and there which make your consideration score go up when you’re either out of contract from your telco or need to buy a new mobile no matter what the reason. Here’s a few features that we picked up which are quite different and cool too!

Smart stay: It’s like your mobile looking at you and keeping awake! A feature keeps the brightness up as long as you’re looking at it. A feature that use eye recognition technology that tracks eye movement and keeps the screen “ON” as long as you’re looking at it.

Direct Call: Texting someone….and how many times we feel the need to just pick up the phone and ring..this one does it automatically…ah! what say…LIKE?

Smart Alert: Think iPhone and a few other phones have this feature but in a mention, but not sure exactly how this feature is different from the notifications of the iOS version. The phone apparently has a vibrating nudge to let you know that you missed a call or a text. uhmm…nice anyways.

S Voice: Probably for “Samsung” Voice. A feature which iPhone made popular by the SIRI in their mobiles.

Will be on the lookout to get our hands on one, will probably have to let the boss know we need one for ‘testing’ or internal R&D purposes 🙂 that way we can explore it in and out! and if it were a car, I’d say ‘take her out for a spin’! Go Samsung!

Social Tag & Buddy Photo Share: Now, this seems like a cool feature. As per the Samsung website – this feature is to keep track of your loved ones, a glance at your friends’ photos will show you their Social Network Status…there’s also the Buddy Photo Share feature. How many times that we take a photo and what do we end up doing with it? Send it to our buddies. Samsung S3 comes with this feature that recognises (guess made popular by Facebook’s tagging feature) and shares photo’s instantly. I think if there is a good enough way to control what you end up sharing and what not – this is a good feature! Hopefully we don’t end up sharing all photos and spam our buddies 😉

Do check out some of the other features – there’s stuff like the “All Share Play” then there is the Pop Up Play – a feature to watch HD videos whilst you’re texting ah…multitasking! For those thinking of Apple’s ‘Air Play‘ there’s the Allshare cast feature ie – this is to watch photo’s, videos from your mobile on your TV and your mobile then becomes the controller. Pretty nifty feature these days if you want to experience HD content or sit back, relax and watch content on a larger screen at home.

In all, seems like good timing (expected to be released end of May in Europe) and a good mobile when there’s rumors that the next iPhone (the 6th generation from Apple) is probably going to be released end of year and Samsung have played their card first!

PS; we are not paid nor contracted by Samsung to say good things 🙂

If you are interested and have time to watch the whole event – here’s a link below:

“Screen Screen…who is the fairest of them all?” Probably the toughest question as we love all our screens!

TV’s, Mobiles, Tablets are getting smarter and smarter…we came across the Australian Multi-Screen report from the last quarter of 2011 by OZTAM / Neilsen and quoting a few interesting stats from this report.

49% OF AUSSIE’S NOW OWN A SMARTPHONE

10% HOUSEHOLDS OWN A TABLET DEVICE

Firstly, Aussies love affair with the smartphones continues which is now estimated at about 49% ownership (up from 43% from the third quarter last year, age 14+). The household Tablets penetration seems to be getting there too, starting at about 8% in the second quarter last year, shooting up by 2 points to almost 10% metro by end of last quarter 2011 and on the rise! According to Nielsen’s Australian Online Consumer report, watching any viewing ‘video’ content on Tablets grew from just 2% of the total online population at the end of 2010, to 5% by the end of 2011.

95% OF HOMES HAVE ACCESS TO DIGITAL BROADCAST

44% HAVING PVR ACCESS

As at the end of the last quarter of 2011, 95% of all homes were estimated to have access to digital broadcasts on at least one TV set in the home, this is up from 90% in the first quarter. Currently 44% of homes have access to some form of a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) allowing consumers to use the ‘time shifting’ incase you can’t watch ‘Home & Away’ whilst you are doing the child care pickup’s or need to unwind at your own leisure and catch up with ‘Desperate Housewives’ when it suits you!

HOUSEHOLD INTERNET IS AT 77%

WATCHING ONLINE VIDEO HAS INCREASED BY 13%

Household internet remains at about 77% but there is an increase in the time that content is being consumed online, watching online video has increased by about 13% and all probably due to the popularity of the smart TV’s which most of them come with their own browser, app setup’s or access to browsing your own internet of connect devices at home. Consumers spent about 3Hrs 27Minutes watching any video on the internet. No longer do you have to take someone to your bedroom to put on your PC to share some photo’s from your trip to Fiji – it’s all about having ‘smart access’ to your content in the house and out and about on the mobile too! Watching video on the mobile phone is not that hot a number, guess mainly due to the fact that a lot of users are unsure of how much bill they’re going to clock up when they’re going to watch the news via video or play catch up TV via mobile on their way home on the train! But, sure we’ll get there.

Watching any video on a mobile phone is at about 1hr 20mins per month average but interestingly almost at 3 hours per month with the 25 – 34 year olds. Video consumption via mobile phones for the 16 years and over category is at about 1 hour 20 minutes per month (up significantly since Q1), the main users are those aged 18 – 34, averaging almost 3 hours per month.

The combination of the extended screens (PC and mobile phone) usage for any video content still accounts for just 4% of video consumption on traditional TV, as quoted in this OZTAM/Neilsen report.

Mobile devices are not only used outside of the house now but playing a key role within the house too as Australia’s love affair with multiple screen’s grows!

DOWNLOAD HERE [PDF] incase you want to full report the Australian Multi-Screen Report for Q4, 2011.

Thanks to OZTAM and Neilsen for putting this report together. It is preferred that you download the complete report at the above link and make note of all the fine print and the greater detail.